Portable taping stool

ABSTRACT

A taping stool for athletes which is strong enough to support the weight of a person seated thereon yet is lightweight and foldable for portability. The invention comprises a main support member having a platform thereon for supporting a person in a seated position, along with pivotal structure extending laterally from the main support member to hold the leg of a person outstretched in a convenient position for taping. Brace means carried by the main support may be shifted to a position engaging the leg support member to hold the same in its extended position. Foldable leg means cooperate with the main support member to form a self-supporting base for the taping stool. The leg support member, the brace means and the foldable leg means are all pivotally connected to the main support member and are movable from a normal collapsed position adjacent the main support member into extended positions for supporting a person seated on the stool with his leg in an elevated position.

I United States Patent [72] inventor Robert E. Barnes Tri-B Industries. EastBorder at 1st, Monroe City, Mo. 63456 [21] Appl. No. 789,218 [22 Filed .Jan. 6, 1969 [45] Patented Jan. 12,1971

[54] PORTABLE TAPING STOOL 7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 128/82, 297/433, 297/439, 248/170 [51] lnt.Cl ..A6lfl3/00, A61f 15/00 [50] FieldoiSearch ..128/82,83, 1; 297/438, 439, 423, 429, 433, 427, 17; 5/327; 248/(lnquired), 170171 [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 755,043 3/1904 Pike etal. 248/171 1,296,722 3/1919 Washburn. 128/82 2,209,650 7/1940 Garcia 248/171X 2,633,896 4/1953 Thompson.... 297/438X 2,860,688 11/1958 Edge 297/424 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,129,228 9/ l 956 France 297/439 1,315,510 12/1962 France 297/438 Primary Examiner-William E. Kamm Assistant ExaminerRonald L. Frinks Attorney-Schmidt, Johnson, Hovey, Williams & Chase ABSTRACT: A taping stool for athletes which is strong enough to support the weight of a person seated thereon yet is lightweight and foldable for portability. The invention comprises a main support member having a platform thereon for supporting a person in a seated position, along with pivotal structure extending laterally from the main support member to hold the leg of a person outstretched in a convenient position for taping. Brace means carried by the main support may be shifted to a position engaging the leg support member to hold the same in its extended position. Foldable leg means cooperate with the main support member to form a'self-supporting base for the taping stool. The leg support member, the brace means and the foldable leg means are all pivotally connected to the main support member and are movable from a normal collapsed position adjacent the main support member into extended positions for supporting a person seated on the stool with his leg in an elevated position.

PATENTEUJANIQIBTI Y 3.554191 INVENT OR Robe/ 2 E. Barnes tion in athletic events.

While it is not uncommon for the host or home team at an athletic event to have taping .tables and other facilities for their players, this equipment' is frequently, if not always, absent from the visitors dressing room. The problem is espe- "cially acute at the high school level 'but ispresent to some degree at all levels of sports activities. The problem has increased in magnitude in recent years as a result of the fact that 1 both coaches and physicians have recognized the need to tape theankles of virtually all participants in every kind of athletic event as a protective measure. Because of the lack of facilities to expedite the taping of athletes ankles,,this has become a very laborious task for coaches and trainers, especially visiting teams, when they find it necessary to tape the legs of practically every member of the squad before each athletic event.

Anotherhardship caused by the lack of facilities for taping the legs of athletes has been the fact that the athletes are frequently forced to sit on the ground or a cold concrete floor in an uncomfortable position while their coaches and trainers must also assume an equally uncomfortable stooped position during the taping process. a

The present invention provides a portable taping stool hav-. ing a main support member which carries a suitable platform for supporting a person in-a'seated position spaced above the floor orground. Leg support means inthe" form of pivotal structure is movable from a normal position adjacent the main support member to'an' extendedposition for Supporting the leg of a person seated on the platform ina n elevated position. Foldable means on. the main support member cooperates with the latter to form a self-supporting base for the stool, and

brace means on the-supportmember is movable into disposition underlying the pivotal structure to hold it in leg supporting position. The foldablemeans and the brace means are also pivotally joined to the main support member and may be collapsed against it for easy storage and transportation of the stool.

It is an object of this invention to eliminate Qthe need for visiting athletic teams to rely on their host to provide facilities for the taping of athleteslegs by providing an easily portable, collapsible stool which will hold the leg of a person seated thereon in a' convenient position-for taping and thus reduce the time and effort required to tape the, ankles-of a large number of athletes of varying sizes.

Another object of this inventionis to avoid the problem of athletes having to be seated onthe floor while having their legs taped, in the absence of appropriate tables, etc., by providing a portable stool which'will hold the leg of a person seated thereon in a convenient position for taping;

A still further object of this invention is to provide a taping stool which is portable yet is also strong enough to support the weight of a large athlete.

Another object of the invention is to provide a taping stool which may be folded in a compact unit for easy transportation and storage by a visiting athletic team and which can be car-.

ried along with their usual baggage and equipment.

A further object of the invention is to provide a taping stool for athletes which may be adjusted as necessary so athletes of various heights and different] leg lengths may be accommodated. I

A still further object of this invention is to provide a portable taping stool wherein the weight of a person seated on the stool is carried largely by a single main support thus minimizing the size requirements of the remainingcomponents of the assembly to keep its weight low.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a taping stool according to the present invention and illustrating the same in its extended position supporting the leg of a person seated on the platform; I

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken alongline 4-4 ofFlG. I. k

In the drawing, numeral 10 broadlydesignates ii'taping stool according to the present inventioh s'hown in its normal extended position with a person 12 seated th'efreonTTaping stool 10 includes a main tubular support member l-l'cbmprised of a pair of stretches l6 and I8 presenting an obtuse angletherebetween, and a plate 20 joined -'to the upper end of stretch 16 in perpendicular relationship 'thcreto; Padded seat or platform 22 is secured to pIate'ZO by a pair-of'bolts 2-8, as can best be seen in FIG. 2. Foldable means in the nature of auxili'aryzlegs 26 and 28 are pivotally joined to main support member l-l by means of bracket structure 30 and fasteners 32 located adjacent the upper part of stretch 18. Legs 26 and 28 are movable from normal collapsed positions adjacent main support member I4 as shown in FIG. 2 into extended disposition for cooperating.

l. As shown in- FIG. 4, legs 26 and 28 when extended cooperate with main support member 14 to form a triangular base for taping stool 10' with the weight of a person seated on the platform being carried largely by main support member- '14. This feature permits use of legs 26 and 28 of substantially smaller diameter than member 14 to increaseithe portability of my invention. v i

Pivotal structure 40 joined to main support, member I4 by ears 42 secured to the underside of plate 20 is movable from a folded position substantially; alongside-the. main. support member to a location projecting outwardly therefrom for supporting the leg 44 of a person seated on platform 22 to facilitate taping of his ankle and lower leg as at.46. Structure 40 preferably includes a first elongated sleeve member 48having a pair of opposed, aligned openings 50 therein and a second elongated member 52 telescoped withinmember 48 and having a series of openings 54 spaced along the length of the tubular member and selectively alignable' with openings 50. A connector 56 on the end of retainer chain is removably inserted into openings 50 and 54 which are aligned.

A brace 60 is pivotally joined to the lower end of main support member 14 by U-bracket 62 and fastener 64. Brace 60 normally lies alongside main support member 14 when the taping stool is in its collapsed position, and is movable into a 1 position engaging pivotal structure 40 for holding the structure in its leg-supporting position. A laterally extending yoke 66 is provided on pivotal structure 40 intermediate its ends and is adapted to removably receive one end of brace 60 when the pivotal structure is in its leg-supporting position. Removable coupling means in the form of. a pull pin 58 on retainer chain 72 is provided for releasably locking brace 60 to yoke "74 is .unfastened and foldable legs 26 and 28 moved into the FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the taping stool in its folded or collapsed condition for transportation or storage;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary vertical sectional viewtaken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

extended disposition thereof as links 34 and 36 are likewise moved into their extended positions engaging the bracket 38 on main support member.

Pivotal structure 40 joined to'main support member 114 at 42 is swung from its folded position substantially alongside the main support member as shown in FIG. 2 to a location projecting outwardly therefrom as illustrated in FIG. I. Brace 60 is moved from its normal position substantially alongside the main support member into underlying engagement with laterally extending yoke 66 on pivotal structure 40 for the purpose of holding the structure in its leg supporting position. Coupling means 58 is inserted through aligned openings 59 and 61 in yoke 66 and brace 60, respectively, to lock the brace to structure 40. An athlete may then be seated on platform 22 with his leg 44 held by arcuate plate 68 as shown in FIG. 1. Taping of his ankle and lower leg, as illustrated at 46, may then be accomplished by another person who may stand in a substantially upright position.

Member 48 of pivotal structure 40 is slidable on member 52 and may be moved into any one of a plurality of positions for accommodating the leg 44 of the person seated on platform 22. Connector 56 is inserted into aligned openings 50 and 54 of members 48 and 52 to releasably lock them in selected relationship. Arcuate plate 68 is provided on the end of pivotal structure 40 remote from platform 22 in order to have a comfortable leg rest. It is desirable to have member 48 properly adjusted along the length of member 52 such that arcuate plate 68 will engage the persons leg 44 at his lower calf immediately above the area to be taped. This position is comfortable to a person seated on the platform and at the same time-allows sufficient working room for the taper to efficiently wrap tape around the ankle and lower leg of the athlete.

Although stool 10 is shown as being of a size for taping of ankles while the taper is in a standing position, it is contemplated that a somewhat shorter version also be provided so that the person performing the taping operation may be seated while taping. In this case, the main member 14 and brace 60 would be proportionately shorter than shown, but structure 40 remains essentially the same.

lclaim:

l. A portable taping stool comprising:

single main upright support member;

a platform immovably fixed to the upper end of said main support member on which a person may seat himself when the main support member is substantially upright;

foldable means on the main support member movable from a normal collapsed position adjacent thereto into extended disposition for cooperating with the main support member to maintain the latter in a substantially upright position when a person is seated on said platform;

pivotal structure movable from a folded position substantially alongside the main support member to a location projecting laterally outwardly therefrom for supporting the leg of a person seated on the platform to facilitate taping of his ankle and lower leg; and

a brace pivotally joined to the main support member, normally lying alongside the latter and movable into a position engaging said pivotal structure and releasably holding the same in said location for supporting the leg of a person seated on the platform.

2. A taping stool as set forth in claim I. wherein said pivotal structure includes:

a first elongated member comprising a sleeve; and

a second elongated member telescoped within said first elongated member to permit extension and retraction of the structure.

3. A taping stool as set forth in claim I. wherein said pivotal structure includes:

a first elongated member comprising a sleeve and having at least one opening therein;

a second elongated member telescoped within said first elongated member to permit extension and retraction of the structure and having a series of openings therein selectively alignable with said opening in the first member; and

a connector removably inserted into aligned openings in said first and second members for locking said members in any one of a plurality of positions.

4. A taping stool as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pivotal structure includes:

a laterally extending yoke thereon adapted to removably receive one end of said brace when said leg-supporting extension is in said supporting position; and

coupling means for locking said brace to said yoke.

5. A taping stool as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pivotal structure includes an elongated, transversely arcuate plate at the end thereof remote from the platform, said plate being adapted to receive and support the leg of a person seated on the platform.

6. A taping stool as set forth in claim 1, wherein said main support member comprises an elongated unit including:

a plate at one end of the unit receiving said platform;

a first stretch integral with the plate and in supporting relationship thereto; and

a second stretch integral with the first stretch and at an obtuse angle with respect thereto, said second stretch cooperating with said foldable means to form a base for said stool.

7. A taping stool as set forth in claim I, wherein is included link means pivotally joined to said foldable means and movable from a normal collapsed position adjacent the foldable means into an extended position engaging said main support member and adapted to lock said foldable means in extended disposition. 

1. A portable taping stool comprising: single main upright support member; a platform immovably fixed to the upper end of said main support member on which a person may seat himself when the main support member is substantially upright; foldable means on the main support member movable from a normal collapsed position adjacent thereto into extended disposition for cooperating with the main support member to maintain the latter in a substantially upright position when a person is seated on said platform; pivotal structure movable from a folded position substantially alongside the main support member to a location projecting laterally outwardly therefrom for supporting the leg of a person seated on the platform to facilitate taping of his ankle and lower leg; and a brace pivotally joined to the main support member, normally lying alongside the latter and movable into a position engaging said pivotal structure and releasably holding the same in said location for supporting the leg of a person seated on the platform.
 2. A taping stool as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pivotal structure includes: a first elongated member comprising a sleeve; and a second elongated member telescoped within said first elongated member to permit extension and retraction of the structure.
 3. A taping stool as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pivotal structure includes: a first elongated member comprising a sleeve and having at least one opening therein; a second elongated member telescoped within said first elongated member to permit extension and retraction of the structure and having a series of openings therein selectively alignable with said opening in the first member; and a connector removably inserted into aligned openings in said first and second members for locking said members in any one of a plurality of positions.
 4. A taping stool as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pivotal structure includes: a laterally extending yoke thereon adapted to removably receive one end of said brace when said leg-supporting extension is in said supporting position; and coupling means for locking said brace to said yoke.
 5. A taping stool as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pivotal structure includes an elongated, transversely arcuate plate at the end thereof remote from the platform, said plate being adapted to receive and support the leg of a person seated on the platform.
 6. A taping stool as set forth in claim 1, wherein said main support member comprises an elongated unit including: a plate at one end of the unit receiving said platform; a first stretch integral with the plate and in supporting relationship thereto; and a second stretch integral with the first stretch and at an obtuse angle with respect thereto, said second stretch cooperating with said foldable means to form a base for said stool.
 7. A taping stool as set forth in claim 1, wherein is included link means pivotally joined to said foldable means and movable from a normal collapsed position adjacent the foldable means into an extended position engaging said main support member and adapted to lock said foldable means in extended disposition. 